Advancement - Donor Engagement Manager

Working at Cedarville University is more than a job, it's a calling. A call to help equip students to go into the world and do great things for the Kingdom. A call to use the gifts God has given you to make the most of every day. A call to work as unto the Lord. God is doing great things at Cedarville University and we are excited for you to be part of it.

When applying, please include a resume/CV and cover letter in PDF format. Additional documents will be requested if needed. Please do not submit documents that include dates of birth, social security numbers, or that require password access.


Cedarville University invites applicants for the position of Donor Engagement Manager. This is a full-time, exempt, on-site staff position in the Development Department within the Advancement Division. This position reports to the Director of Donor Engagement and works 2,080 annual hours.
The Donor Engagement Manager develops and implements engagement, solicitation, and stewardship strategies designed to increase donor participation and strengthen philanthropic support for Cedarville University. Working closely with the Director of Donor Engagement and Advancement colleagues, this role manages annual giving communications, donor engagement initiatives, stewardship activities, and key events that cultivate meaningful relationships with alumni, parents, students, and friends of the university.
Donor Engagement Communication Management (70%)
• Create, implement, and evaluate comprehensive annual communication plans that engage and acquire new donors, retain current donors, and renew past donors with the intent to increase both engagement and financial support according to established annual goals.
• Lead planning and collaboration across the Advancement Division to ensure the success of annual bulk appeals and giving days, including Giving Tuesday, Calendar Year-End Appeal, Senior Class Gift, and other initiatives. Responsibilities include writing content, providing creative direction for design, and segmenting constituents.
• Execute donor engagement strategies in collaboration with the Director of Donor Engagement, ensuring initiatives align with strategic priorities and established goals.
• Investigate and implement best practices for email solicitation campaigns.
• Formulate and execute strategies for the effective use of a variety of communication methods and solicitation channels, including direct mail, crowdfunding, text messaging, telemarketing, and social media.
• Retrieve and interpret relevant data to determine strategic constituent segments and inform engagement and solicitation strategies. Stay current on best practices related to internal and external reporting to support data-driven decision making.
• Develop and implement stewardship processes and activities, including quarterly donor newsletters, annual printed impact reports, thank-you calls, handwritten notes, and other direct donor communications.
• Coordinate with the Advancement Communications Manager, Research and Reporting, Alumni Engagement, and other key team members throughout the implementation of communications and events.
• Develop and implement the Senior Class Gift Program (Senior Signature) to increase participation and total giving while fostering a spirit of generosity among students. Build relationships with Senior Class leadership and develop communication and event strategies to engage the senior class.
Donor Stewardship Event Management (30%)
• Lead efforts to plan, execute, and evaluate engagement and stewardship events for the Development team, including Scholarship Donor Events, Giving Tuesday initiatives, Student Gratitude events, and Women of Impact gatherings.
• Ensure events are meaningful, well-executed, and aligned with donor engagement goals.
• Manage the Student Phonathon program, deploying a team of students to execute events and build meaningful donor relationships that encourage increased engagement and giving.
Qualifications
• Bachelor’s degree in communications, marketing, professional writing, business management, or a related field.
• Experience and demonstrated success in marketing, events, relationship management, fundraising, or related fields.
• Excellent written communication and interpersonal skills, with strong attention to detail and the ability to produce clear, compelling content aligned with brand voice.
• Strong project management skills with the capacity to manage multiple projects and events simultaneously while meeting deadlines and performance goals.
• Self-starter with a collaborative mindset and the ability to work independently while supporting cross-departmental operations.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and customer relationship management software, preferably Slate.
• Commitment to the mission and values of Cedarvill